Grave vault



J. R. BURKHARDT.

GRAVE VAULT. APPLICATION FILED. AUG.H| 192].

1,417,137 I v Patented May 23,1922.

ports of the vaults together;

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oi which the following is a specification.

ll lv inve ;.ion relutcs to improvements in. metallic grave mults otthe type knownes "titer tight vuu ltsnnd it purticulurly relates to devices for guiding end latching; the

The typeo'f vault to which the invention relates is one which employs e separate bottomund. en eir tight upper portion which constitutes the top, sidesund ends. The object oil this inventionis to provideimproved latching devices for securing the per-ts of with guides olie nurture whichwill steer the.

upplerportion of the vault to cause it to properly seat itself on the bottom to be hitched by thecutches In the u ecom'punyinp; d rnwings 2- liigure l is in vertical section "through the Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional. view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with the upper section of the vault removed.

3 is u vlew of the inside of one of the housings which supports a catch and.

forms one of the guides.

Fig. 41- is an enlarged section on the line 4.-- lof Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 of? Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings. the upper por tion of the vault shown us Formed from sheet metal. the top portion 1 and the sides 2 being formed from one integral sheet with the ends 4: electricully welded or otherwise secured thereto to provide an air tight com pertinent. The lower longitudinal edges of the sides 2 are flared outwardly us indicated at 91*; bent inwerdly inrilicated et 2". and thence upwardly as indicated at 2.

The hot-tom is stumped from o single piece of sheet metal so as to provide a. central raised portion. 5 and a. marginal flange 6,

Specification of Letters Patent.

li e-tented lllluy es. lees.

Application-filed August 11, 19M. ficriel No. 491,380.

(lire of my inunroved latches and guides is located at each corner oi? the ruisedflpor tion 5* oi" tom. Erich device has it supporting housiitur con'slinp; 'ol two wells 7 undtl pii'eteii'ublv constructed of aysingle piece oisheet motel. The lower portions of thesen'ulls ere urrmiged utringht angles to such other. so us to conform tothe shupe of the corners of the bottom portion 5,1 while the upper portions thereof are curved or inclined inwurdlv toward thecenter of the vsul tbottoni, us indicetedeti and 8 and project above the some. so as to provide o pointed inclined guide portion. The housings thus formed are secured to the respective corners? of the raised portion 5 in any suitable wev, preferably by electrically welding"the well: 7 to the side ofthe' raised portion of the bottom and also weldingthe lower edges of both wells to the Henge G.

Secured to the inner wall oi? the housing member 8 is a. casing 9 open at both ends. the housing member 7 having" :1. slotted opening 1.0 in line with the opening); through the casing. Slidebily mounted in thiscesing;

5.) a: lutch ll lruviiiue bevelled nose It which projects through the slotted opening: 10. The latch 11 has an elongated slot 12 into which projects a tongue 13 punched from the well oil the casing 9. A coil spring" 141. connected to the inner end of the hitch 11. and also to the housing member 7 normally projects the latch to locking; position.

During transportation the two latches at each end of the bottom are tied together by a. wire secured in the slotted openings 12 to hold them out o'l locking; position these wires being" removed before the bottom is lowered into the grove. When the top portion of the vault is lowered. the inturned portions 2, riding onthe curved guides. will steer the top portion to cause it to properly sent itself upon the fiance t3. i t hen the in turned portions 2* strike the bevelled noses of the latches. the latches are forced back until released by the upturned parts 2 whereupon they will. spring to the locking position shown in 1 with the lower edges thereof engaging the upper edges of the upturned portions 2.

It will be seenthzit I provide a. guide and latch of simple construction which are entirelj, concealed. after the upper portion of the vault has been locked to the bottom.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a structure of the character described, the combination, with a vault consisting ot a separate bottom and an upper chamberet portion, of spring pressed latches carried by said bottom and guides on said bottom to steer the upper portion to position to be engaged by said latches, said latches being housed by said guides, said latches and guides being located within the said cham bered portion entirely concealed when the parts are locked together.

2 In a structure of the character described, the combination with a vault having a sepa rate bottom with a raised portion and marginal flange to receive the top portion of said vault, of a guide and spring latch located at each corner of said raised portion within the top portion of the vault to guide the top portion and lock it in position on said bottom, said latches being housed by said guides.

3. In a structure of the character described, the combination with a vault having a separate bottom with a raised portion and a mar ginal flange to receive a top chambered portion, of a support secured at each corner of the raised portion of said bottom, each of said supports having an inclined upper end to form a guide, and a spring latch carried by each support.

4;. In a structure of the character described, the combination with vault having a separate bottom with a raised portion and marginal flange to receive a top chambered portion, said top portion having an inturned lower edge, of a plurality of guides located at the respective corners of said raised portion within the top portion of said vault co operating with the inturncd edges of said top portion to guide the same to position on said bottom, and a series ol spring latches to engage said inturncd edge to latch the top to position, said latches being housed by said guides.

5. In a structure of the character descri I um I, the combination with a vault having a top chambered portion and :1 separate bottom. said bottom formed with a raised central portion, of a plurality of angillarly-shupcil supports secured to the cori'iers oi said raised portion having inclined. upper ends projcwting above the top (if said rai ed portion t form guides, said guides co-opcratiug with the lower edge o'l said chambered portion to guide the same to position, and spring latches carried by said supports arranged to engi f the lower edges of said top portion to loci; it in position.

'5. In a structure of the character described, the combination with a vault having a top chambered portion, and a separate bottom. the bottom having a raised portion having corners, of a housing secured to each corner. a casing carried by each housing open at both ends, the housing having a slot in line 'with the opening through said casing, a

spring pressed latch in said casing project:- ing through said slot, a slotted opening in said latch and projection on said casing projecting into said slotted opening.

In testimony whereof. I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of August, 192i.

JACOB n. BURKIIARDT. 

